Best Games About Relationships

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I’m starting to feel burnt out by the typical ‘save the world’ storylines in many games. All the constant fighting against demons, aliens, and other monsters, and the flimsy excuses – like a spreading ‘corruption’ – that let you kill anyone in your way… it’s just become tiresome. I realize I’m describing games I actually enjoy, but I’m honestly getting bored with these predictable patterns.

Video games often rely on similar ideas and storylines more than other forms of entertainment like movies or books. While films and novels can succeed without focusing on world-ending events, many big-budget games seem to avoid stories that don’t involve high stakes, or even just avoid having any combat at all. It’s a misconception that games *need* to be action-packed to be fun, and hopefully, as the gaming industry evolves, this idea will fade. There are plenty of games that prove interactive entertainment can be just as compelling when it explores themes like love, society, culture, and community, instead of always focusing on saving the world from aliens and evil forces.

The main requirement for the games on this list is that they heavily focus on relationships – whether romantic or between friends and family. Because of this, games like *Mass Effect*, while having good character interactions, aren’t included.

Catherine

Maybe Next Time You’ll Think Before You Cheat

I absolutely love *Catherine*. It’s not like other dating games where you’re constantly pausing your adventure to romance someone or unlock…well, you know. *Catherine* is different. It’s a really honest, funny, and sometimes painfully relatable look at what dating as an adult is *really* like. You play as Vincent, a guy in his early thirties who makes a really bad decision after a night of drinking – he cheats on his girlfriend with someone new. The game then dives deep into all the messy feelings that come with that – the guilt, the frustration, and trying to figure out what you even *want* from a relationship. Oh, and he also has to climb a crazy nightmare tower, but honestly, that’s almost secondary to the relationship drama!

I actually played the very first *Catherine* when it came out in 2011, but honestly, *Catherine: Full Body* from 2019 is the way to go. It just looks so much better, and they added a bunch of cool new ways to play, making it the complete package.

The Alters

Cut Yourself Some Slack

11 Bit Studios, known for the fantastic games *This War of Mine* and *Frostpunk*, has truly outdone themselves with *The Alters*. The game begins with Jan Dolski, the sole survivor of a mining expedition crash landing on an alien planet. He discovers a way to create clones of himself – ‘Alters’ – using memories from different versions of his life. Each Alter has a unique background and personality, shaped by different life choices – for example, an Alter who never went to college would have a completely different career and outlook than the original Jan.

Beneath its strange sci-fi premise, *The Alters* is a surprisingly moving story about self-discovery and inner conflict. You play as Jan Dolski, who must come to terms with different parts of his personality – his ‘Alters’ – that have become separate entities. Each Alter is fully realized and complex, and the game’s choice-based system impressively manages to keep everything coherent until the very end. It’s difficult to say much more without giving away spoilers, but I highly recommend playing *The Alters*. You won’t be disappointed.

Pentiment

Pillars of the Earth

Obsidian Entertainment is famous for role-playing games similar to *Fallout: New Vegas* and *Avowed*, but their masterpiece is *Pentiment*. This narrative adventure is set in 16th-century Bavaria and centers on a small town and its abbey, a place filled with intrigue and drama. *Pentiment* truly stands out for its engaging, player-driven story, featuring a huge cast of well-developed characters you can build relationships with – whether through friendship, intimidation, or investigation. It’s less a traditional simulation and more a richly detailed, historical and religious story with believable connections between people. Be warned: *Pentiment* is a powerfully emotional experience that might just move you to tears.

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2025-09-18 18:41